Lyra spent the early morning hours sitting at the foot of her bed, sharpening her daggers. The door opened and Fenrin came in with a tray. "Good morning, I brought breakfast."

She narrowed her eyes as he let himself in and sat next to her on the bed.

"We should make a plan of attack," he said, stretching back on her sheets, kicking his feet up, and munching on an iced roll stuffed with dried fruits and nuts.

She examined her knife's razor sharp edge critically. "I have a plan."

Fenrin crossed his legs, his boot pushing her arm. "Do tell."

She prodded his boot with the tip of her knife and pushed it away. "You and I will ambush them at the lake. They have a dozen men, I want to leave four alive."

Fenrin finished her roll and bit loudly into an apple, tossing another one at her back. She spun around but he examined the top of her canopy innocently. "Pretty sure we need to kill them all. Might want to take a few troops."

She took the thrown apple and sliced into it. "If you're not up for the job..."

He growled at her. "Do you really want to start this now?"

She ate the apple, her eyes lit with amusement. "I'm just saying, I think we can do this on our own. You're the one who wanted help."

Scowling, he asked, "Why leave four alive?"

"I need a team."

Fenrin sat up. "Really Lyra? Can't you just follow one order before picking a fight?"

She sniffed. "He wanted them taken care of, they will be. I'm sure you have a group of men you command." Fenrin frowned but didn't deny it. She reached and stabbed a piece of ham from the tray by his side, "So it's only natural I get one too."

"Still going to tick him off," Fenrin grumbled. She gave him a grin in response. He dropped his core back on the tray. "Alright, I'm sure you have more details on how you want this to go down."

She did and she told him what she wanted to do. He laughed at her audacity. "I like it. Let's go."

Their horses were ready at the stable along with a few men who nodded respectfully at Fenrin who gave them a grin. "Sorry boys, I'm taking this one alone with my sister. Whoever's got the most balls go tell the Bear we're heading out."

The men laughed and the twins rode out. They tied their horse a mile from the lake and walked there, finding a good spot to ambush. Fenrin expertly predicted where the mercenaries would pass, his confidence in the woods impressing Lyra—although she'd never admit it.

The mercenaries arrived as predicted and Fenrin's and Lyra's bows took two down as they dismounted to rest at the lake. The other men drew their weapons, a few raising bows of their own and forming a circle, looking for the enemy.

Lyra's next arrow grazed a horse, which panicked and galloped into the circle of bowmen. Fenrin leaped from behind some rocks and charged in. His sword cut down two men as they scrambled to regain their footing. Lyra ran forward, firing at the bowman aiming at her brother and then tossing the bow aside.

She surged into the fray, dodging the arrow that came whistling towards her. She threw a dagger which the bowman dodged, but it grazed his arm. He gave her a look of contempt but she smiled as it changed to pain and he collapsed. Now in range, she didn't need poison as she danced laughing into the battle.

Her brother grunted as he pushed one of the larger mercenaries off him. The leader, a man wielding two axes, approached Fenrin. His skill was clear as he managed to push Fenrin back, his sword barely parrying the man's whirling axes. In a one on one fight, Fenrin would have won but the mercenary’s remaining men approached from behind, forcing Fenrin to steer until his back was to the lake.

Meanwhile, Lyra was weaving between the men, her daggers gutting them before they could get close to catching her. One she kept a particularly close eyes on, using a separate dagger to cut his leg. His movements slowed and as he collapsed, the remaining two hesitated.

It cost them their lives. Lyra spun and deftly hit one of the men who was helping his leader drive Fenrin into the shallows.

Fenrin managed to cut the neck of the other, leaving him fighting just the leader who, to the twins' surprise, spun and tossed an axe at Lyra, who didn't quite manage to dodge. The blade cut a gash in her thigh and she yelped.

Her brother moved forward and drove his hilt into the man's jaw and knocked the remaining axe out of his hand. Lyra grit her teeth and lurched forward, pulling a cloth from one of her pockets.

Fenrin knocked the man on his back and Lyra shoved the cloth over his face until his eyes rolled up.

Her blood reddening the shallow waters, she let Fenrin drag the mercenary leader onto the shore. He tutted distastefully. "Still with the poisons."

She grunted and tied a bandage around her leg after inspecting the wounds. "Only when I need to. I haven't fought with poisoned weapons in quite a while, but they have their moments."

She pulled the cloak off one of the dead men and lit it on fire, using the flames to heat a needle. Fenrin gathered the corpses into a pile and lit it ablaze as well. Four bodies, unconscious but breathing were tied together by Fenrin as Lyra stitched up her leg.

Once she was finished, she limped over to the unconscious men. Fenrin nudged one with his foot. "How long do we have to wait?"

Lyra reached down and gagged three of the men and then put one knee on the leader's chest and slowly pressed a dagger point into his hand. As blood oozed up, his eyes shot open. She twirled the knife up to his neck leering over him.

"Hello Brandt, how are you feeling? Clear headed enough to talk?"

The man was cross eyed, but slowly he seemed to come to his senses, struggling beneath Lyra and unable to escape Fenrin's expert knots. Finally he spat at her, "Bitch."

She dodged the saliva and tutted. "Now, now. I just want to talk, I could have killed you."

The man's eyes narrowed and he glanced around. "My men?"

She looked at the fire absently. "Oh there's still three of them. Their fates are in your hands right now." She turned back to Brandt whose face was twisted in rage. She tapped the dagger on his chest. "Alright, first question. What did Elris offer you for your conscription?"

"We're mercenaries, she paid us."

Lyra frowned. "Now I didn't take you for a liar, Brandt. By reputation, you're a rather honorable man for a mercenary so I wouldn't start lying now. Plenty of Jarls have offered you money, my question is why Elris?" Her tone turned icy cold. “Choose your next words carefully, if I don't like the answer, my brother will kill one of your men."

Brandt turned his head and Fenrin lowered his sword nonchalantly on one of the men's necks. Brandt turned back to Lyra. "She did pay us, handsomely, but she offered land as well."

"And...?" There was more, she could smell it. She nodded and Fenrin raised his sword.

"And protection," Bradt sputtered quickly.

Lyra laughed. "Protection? A band of mercenaries selling themselves to a Jarl's army for protection? Tell me Brandt, in what world does that make sense?"

Brandt clammed up and Lyra saw a new flicker of fear in his eyes, she leaned down. "Hmmm not for you then? You have a wife, Brandt? Children?"

The horror on his face confirmed her suspicions. She laughed again. "I get it now, tell me though, what exactly did you think Elris could protect them from?"

"My line of work generates many enemies," Brandt growled.

"I'm sure. But tell me, did it ever cross your thick skull that Elris was hiring because she had bigger enemies than you could imagine? That those enemies would become yours the minute you entered an agreement with her?"

Understanding crossed Brandt's face and Lyra patted his cheek. "Silly man, you made a bad call. Lucky for you, you get a second shot. We're what Elris is so afraid of. She can no more protect your family than she can herself. But," Lyra held up a finger, "I'm offering you a chance to join our side. Then your little family can grow up happy and safe...as long as their daddy follows orders."

Brandt looked pained then seemed to form some resolve. "I'd rather die."

She shook her head. "That's not how this works. If you really want to turn down my generous offer then fine. I'll put you back to sleep, eventually you'll find your way home, maybe before they've cleared the bodies, maybe after, who knows? Then you'll get really angry and full of righteous wrath and you'll come back to me. I'll toy with you a bit more and then finally you'll rather be dead."

He struggled against his bonds again, his face red as he cursed her to every level of hell.

"Or," she continued, "you could accept my offer and their safety will be entirely in your capable hands rather than some selfish Jarl. Now then, I need your answer."

Brandt panted, his eyes searching about for some solution, some way out. Finally he deflated. "I accept your offer."

Lyra stood up and cut his bonds. "Fabulous, welcome to the service of Lyra Bryndotter."

Fenrin was surprised she called herself Bryndotter but it seemed to have the desired effect of making the man balk once more. He looked at them both with hate, but did nothing save rub his raw wrists.

"Your first order is to convince these three to take the same deal."

As Brandt sat, head hanging low, waiting for his men to wake up, Fenrin stepped aside with Lyra. "You're something else, you know that? You could have just picked one of the men we already have."

She snorted. "Yeah one of Father's men. Sure. No, I like Brandt, he's predictable and a bit stupid."

Fenrin scratched his neck. "Seems like a lot of work for a handful of men. Not to mention he's bound to try to kill you."

"That's what makes him so predictable. Say, Fenrin, have you ever tortured anyone?"

He frowned. "A few times. Why?"

"Hmm, one of these men will refuse to work for me. I want you to get Brandt's family's location out of him before killing him. I've never done it before, I usually have the information before I blackmail."

Fenrin growled, "I don't take orders from you."

Lyra gave him a withering look. "Obviously. I was about to ask what you would ask for in exchange for doing me the favor."

Fenrin grinned and thought about it. He was getting annoyed with Lyra's attitude during this whole mission. How could he get back at her...

"Alright, you have to explain all of this to Bryn, spend the day we get back without riling him at all, and you have to obey his next order without any resistance."

Lyra turned at him with venom in her eyes. "Didn't realize you were that much his dog."

Fenrin didn't rise to the bait, instead he laughed. "Oh it's not for him. It'll make my life easier plus be damned funny to watch."

She growled but, to his surprise, said, "Fine."

His grin widened and Lyra turned back to the men. Brandt laid out their options, ordering them to follow Lyra. One of them refused.

With a nod from Lyra, Fenrin dragged the man into the woods. His screams drifted back, but to his credit it was nearly an hour before Fenrin got the information and killed the man.

He returned, wiping a bloodied knife off on one of the remaining bound men's back. "Small farm between Rivertown and Stonemeadow."

Brandt paled and Lyra smirked. "All that moaning about us killing your friend. Turns out he wasn't much of a friend after all. Alright, let's move."

She cut their bonds and the two men turned to their leader. Brandt slowly stood up straight. He had a pained look in his eyes, but he nodded to Lyra and followed her back towards the Bear’s estate.

Lyra ordered the men to the barracks and updated Ulris on them. The old man looked disapproving but didn't comment. Lyra turned to go to her room, but her brother sidled beside her to block her path. "Uh-uh. Aren't you forgetting something?"

His sister rolled her eyes and turned to go the opposite way, towards Bryn's study. She paused outside the door, her fists curling and uncurling. She was in control. This was all part of her plan for her future. She opened the door.

Bryn was sitting at his huge mahogany desk. Even with its massive size, it was odd to see the battleworn man sifting through papers. He looked up, those grey eyes watching her calculatingly. "Is it done?"

"The mercenaries will never reach the Jarl. I did alter the plan a bit, however."

Bryn growled but Lyra continued calmly, "I chose three of the men to recruit. I need my own team and they seemed adequate. I have them tamed."

Her father's eyes narrowed but her lack of jabs seemed to ease his displeasure. He waved a large hand. "Fine. Go get your brother, I have another task for you two."

Lyra bit her tongue and merely nodded before turning to go. She could feel that steely gaze on her back, the unexpected obedience making him instantly suspicious. She felt a smile cross her lips as she walked away. It was almost satisfying to surprise him like that. Almost.

A slow clap at the top of the stairs drew her attention. It was Fenrin. "Nicely done, Ly. Maybe you're not totally unhinged after all."

She rolled her eyes. "He wants to see us both for another ‘task.’" Her voice dripped with scorn.

"Well then, let's see what task you've already agreed to."

Gods. I hate this family.

Lyra breathed slowly and turned around walking stiffly back into the office. Fenrin skipped in front of her, knocking on the door once before pushing it open.

If Bryn was surprised at their promptness, he didn't show it. He gestured them over and shifted at his desk, unfurling a map on its surface. Sitting across the desk reminded Lyra of all the times she'd sat across from Ulris and been lectured. The comparison made her brittle and she had a hard time concentrating on Bryn's words.

"...movement between Jarl Hurson's army and the Giant's Valley. Fenrin, you will take a dozen men and create a blockade here to delay any caravans. Pick off a few and some troops who investigate, but leave no trace. We want to redirect suspicion, not confirm it. Lyra."

She looked up, the temptation to yawn almost irresistible, instead she said through gritted teeth, "Yes?"

"You will go to Stonemeadow. One of our top men was captured and is being held there. Find out where he is, what he's said, and then kill him."

Stonemeadow. She could visit Brandt's family on the way. Plus there was a pretty prominent arm of the guild there. She could send a message to Raldo and smooth things over...

"And Lyra, I want him dead, is that clear?"

She glared at Bryn sharply, but a kick from Fenrin made her curl her fingers, nails biting the skin. "Of course," she said, managing to keep her voice steady.

Bryn watched her for a moment and nodded, dismissing them both. Fenrin bounced up and Lyra stood more slowly. She wanted so badly to lash out, she felt suffocated just being the same room as him, old resentments rising like bile. She suddenly moved faster, leaving the room and shutting the door quickly.

Fenrin patted her shoulder. "That wasn't so bad now, was it?" She didn't bother to glare at him, denying him the satisfaction. "Although, it was a bit less amusing than I'd hoped. Ah, well. Catch you later!"

He strode off, his long legs carrying him quickly down the hall. Lyra went and repacked. She could do this. She just had to follow the occasional order and bide her time. She would rekindle her connection with the Thieves Guild. Combined with Bryn influence, she could create a network of spies, much more effective than Bryn's sparse array of messengers.

She'd seen his map, his focus was on territory and men, the map barely even divided into Jarldoms. He didn't place any value in political borders or influence, but Lyra did. She'd played that game in Taka and now she could stretch to a grander stage, no longer looking over her shoulder for her father's men. And eventually...no soon...it would be Bryn who was looking over his shoulder.